Soul stirring

Johnson Thomas

In ‘Moana’, Disney attempts a deeper, more meaningful quest- filled with perils, trials and adventure. It’s not merely about a good versus evil fight; it’s about choices you have to make when the inner voices tug at you even while you are attempting to stay true to your upbringing. 

Moana(Auli'l Cravalho) is a pretty, brown-skinned Polynesian princess, sprung from the myths of gods and demigods - one who does not fit the usual Disney norm. Her best friends are Pua, a cute piglet, and Heihei, a pop-eyed rooster. Moana is on a quest, one that haunts her from within, makes her sing in plaintive yearning and separates her from her beloved protective family (her Father Tui, voiced by Temeura Morrison) and tribe that has forbidden her from wandering beyond the reef. But with the sea as  her friend and encouragement from a wise old Gramma Tala (Rachel House), Moana sets out beyond the protective strictures of her family to right the wrong that egoistic demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) has wrought on majestic Earth mother Te Fiti.

The songs are well-written and fit in beautifully, but the music is not as catchy as some of Disney’s best. Jared Bush, Ron Clements, John Musker, Pamela Pibon, Taika Waititi combine well enough to work out a screenplay that leaves a strong impression. The underlying message is clear - ravaging the Earth for your selfish needs will only imperil the life of future generations to come. 

Moana has the most technically superior animation talent on display and in all probability it will be the front-runner for the Oscars early next year.